Are You Filled?

We know and we believe and we profess in our faith the Blessed Trinity – God in three Persons. Yet, in our conversations about God we tend to emphasize the first two Persons of the Trinity more than the third. We frequently begin our prayers with the words “Our Father,” and end them with “In Jesus’ name.” How often do you hear a prayer addressed to the Holy Spirit? Perhaps the reason for this is that “Father” and “Son” are easier to visualize; but “Spirit” (especially the King James translation “Holy Ghost”) is less personal and more mystical. But the Holy Spirit is a Person. The Spirit is God Himself, energizing, leading and communicating with us day by day.

The Spirit guides us by opening our understanding when we read the Bible (John 14:26; 16:13), interpreting its message in a new and fresh way each time we read it. The Spirit guides our prayer lives, compensating for the inadequacies we feel when we attempt to commune with God (Rom. 8:26–27).The Holy Spirit infuses the life of a Christian with spiritual energy, turning our potential for loving others into reality (Rom. 5:5), strengthening faith, cultivating assurance (Rom. 8:16). We cannot do anything, we can never be productive in our Christian life if we are not filled with the Holy Spirit.

All believers possess the Spirit (1 Cor.6:19, Rom.8:9). You do not have to ask for the Spirit. He is in you and has been in you since the time of your salvation. You just have to be “continually filled” with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 5:8). Being filled with the Spirit is not a one-time experience. Being filled means continually letting the Spirit of God, who is already in you, control you, to be totally under His influence.

How can that happen? You surrender your will, your mind, your body, your talents, your time, your treasures – every area of your life – to the control of the Holy Spirit. To be Spirit-filled is to be Christ-conscious. It means living every moment as if our Lord Jesus Christ is beside you. And you let Him guide your choices as you go on your everyday life.

True joy is the inevitable result of being Spirit-filled. All people like to be happy, to feel good. There is nothing wrong with that. God also wants joyous, excited and uplifted people. The problem lies in how this joy will be generated. Things of this world can bring you momentary happiness. But true joy can only be acquired if you allow the Holy Spirit to fill you. Are you filled?

References: The Keys to Spiritual Growth. John MacArthur. Lighthouse Books, 2005; and www.lifeway.com